Pinot Posse members coming to Avon

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Vin48 restaurant and wine bar will host two of California's finest grower producers for a four-course dinner Friday night. Peter Cargasacchi of Point Conception and Cragasacchi and Craig Strehlow of Keefer Ranch farm some of California's finest Pinot Noir vineyards in Santa Rita Hills and the Green Valley of Russian River. The men are two members of the infamous "Pinot Posse" who are in Colorado for its annual tour. The Pinot Posse is the brainchild of John Salamanski of CS Wine Imports, a Denver-based wine distributor that places specialty wines in metro-Denver and mountain restaurants. The CS Wine Imports portfolio includes cult wines from California, Oregon, Washington, Italy and Spain. The annual Pinot Posse event is unique to the Denver and mountain markets in Colorado, and allows Salamanski and the Pinot Noir winemakers to showcase their wines. Each year the locations of the dinners and tastings vary, but the aim is the same: To bring a group of talented winemakers to Colorado to promote the varietal and some of the personalities behind it.

"We are excited to have two of California's finest pinot noir growers at vin48," said Greg Eynon, wine director/owner vin48. "I think our guests are in for a delicious evening of Pinot Noir, delicious cuisine and more than a few entertaining stories form Peter and Craig."

Cargasacchi is the fifth generation of his family in California, members of which have lived and farmed in the California Central Coast since the early 1900s.

"Our vineyards are in the extreme western part of Santa Barbara County, where our family has been farming for generations," Cargasacchi said.

He planted Cargasacchi vineyard in 1998 in the Santa Rita Hills AVA, and began planting the subsequent Jalama vineyard in 1999. The roots of the Cargasacchi winemaking philosophy are found in the Italian traditional pairing of food and wine at mealtime. Using estate fruit, Cargasacchi produces two Pinot Noirs under the Cargasacchi label and one late harvest Pinot Grigio. The winery also produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Syrah under the Point Concepcion label from estate and purchased fruit.